This invention relates in general to golf clubs and, in particular, to a device which allows golf clubs to be correctly positioned during a golf swing.
In the game of golf, a golfer holds the handle or grip of the golf club and swings the golf club so that the golf club head hits the golf ball and propels the ball towards the hole. The game of golf has been played for hundreds of years and has produced numerous technical advancements in many areas of the game, including the golf ball, golf course and golf clubs. These technical advances have lowered the scores of many golfers and have added to the enjoyment of the game.
One area of particular importance is the golf club grip, which the golfer holds while swinging the golf club. A conventional golf grip includes a strip of material, such as leather, wrapped around the handle portion of the golf shaft. Another conventional golf grip includes a tubular member or sleeve that is attached to the handle of the golf club. These conventional golf grips often include striations, dimples and other types of indentations to allow the golfer to more securely hold the golf club during the swing. These known golf grips also help prevent slipping of the golf club in the hands of the golfer during the swing.
Another area of particular interest is the correct positioning of the golf club during the golf swing. Fundamentally, the hands, wrists, arms, body and legs of the golfer must move such that the golf club is correctly positioned during each portion of the golf swing. Without the correct positioning of the golf club during the swing, it is very difficult to strike the golf ball in the desired manner and it is very difficult to develop a repeatable, consistent golf swing. That is, the club must be correctly positioned relative to the golfer and the golf ball during the golf swing; including during the back swing, approach towards the golf ball, impact with the golf ball, and follow-through after striking the golf ball.
There are a wide variety of golfing aids which are conventionally used to improve a golfer's grip of the golf club. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,146 issued to Comer discloses a golf grip with recesses to ensure proper positioning of the hands of the golfer. In particular, a. plurality of separate recesses are located on the central portion of the grip, a plurality of separate recesses are formed on the upper portion of the grip, and another plurality of separate recesses are formed on the lower portion of the grip. These recesses are used to position the golfer's hands around the golf grip. Disadvantageously, the recesses increase the cost of the grip and the recesses are not correctly positioned for golfers of different sizes and abilities. Additionally, the golf grip disclosed in the Comer patent does not teach proper orientation of the golf club during the golf swing. Further, these plurality of recesses significantly alter the configuration of the grip and it is not usable during competition according to the rules of the United States Golf Association ("USGA"). Thus, the golf grip must be removed and a different grip installed before the golf club can be used in competition.
Another conventional golf grip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,376 issued to Cummings, et al. The Cummings patent discloses a golf grip with markings to indicate where the thumbs and fingers of a golfer are to be located, and other markings to indicate regions of the grip which should not be contacted by the hands of the golfer. The Cummings patent, while disclosing markings which position the hands about the golf grip, does not aid in the proper positioning of the golf club during the golf swing. Disadvantageously, even if the hands of the golfer are correctly positioned about the grip, the golfer may still have difficulty in correctly hitting the golf ball because the golf club is not correctly positioned during the swing.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that is simple and easy to manufacture, and which allows a golfer to quickly and easily position the golf club in the desired location during the golf swing.